A Visit to the Haunted Chamber by William Frederick Yeames (Interpretation and Analysis)

A Visit to the Haunted Chamber
Source: Wikimedia Commons

British painter William Frederick Yeames is probably best known for history paintings, which often depict scenes from England’s past, focusing especially on events from the Tudor and Stuart dynasties. Yeames’ style is clean and precise, reminiscent of the neat, smoothness of the Neoclassical style. 

However, the painting I’m going to talk about today is much creepier (and more comedic) than any of Yeames’ historical dramas.

A Visit to the Haunted Chamber is a contemporary comedic scene with a spooky twist.

The piece depicts two young women of the Victorian age entering a bedroom in what seems to be a very old house. The Victorians were very interested in history, which they used as a vehicle to understand their position in the modern world. During this time, historical fiction and other romanticized narratives about history became increasingly popular.

A Visit to the Haunted Chamber depicts the common pastime of visiting a historical or otherwise picturesque site, which in this case is a haunted chamber, presumably in some ancient manor that was once visited by Plantagenet kings. The young women in the painting seem to be in a state of some alarm, leaning on each other and clutching their skirts as they prepare to flee from the ghost. Although the women can’t see it, the source of the otherworldly scrabblings and scrapings that they seem to hear is revealed to the viewer. A group of rats are running across the floor on the right side of the room, and, although they are invisible to the visitors, the sounds they make have convinced them that the room is indeed haunted.

The presence of the rats and the lighting— which indicates that it’s daytime outside— makes A Visit to the Haunted Chamber a comical scene. Instead of striking fear into the heart of the viewer, Yeames seeks to charm the viewer by poking fun at belief in ghosts and hauntings. The women are dressed in contemporary clothes, clashing with the comparatively old-fashioned furniture, adding the light, comedic air of the piece. It’s a clever, entertaining, and (not so) creepy painting.

Disclaimer: I’m not an art historian or an expert on this topic. The above is my opinion, based on my interpretation of my foreknowledge of art and history. If I’ve done any additional research, I’ll note it above.